


A Major Test of Strength

by RamenShop



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Canon-Typical Violence, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Wild has the Champion’s Abilities, Yiga Clan - Freeform, because I love him, i may or may not have changed some stuff in previous chapters to go with my AoC hype, maybe some hurt/comfort, the giant horse, this is pretty slice of life-y ngl, whatever that means
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23532742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RamenShop/pseuds/RamenShop
Summary: “Wild here wanted to give himself a ‘Major Test of Strength’.”“There is a Sheikah scientist by Wild’s house in Hateno. She can repair the broken slate in no time,” Twilight explained, “We’d agreed that we would wait until the portals took us to his time to try this. The journey should be around twelve hours with minimal rest. Wild wants to spend this time fighting without the slate, the way he used to before he lost his memories.”- Wild has something to prove to himself.
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe), Hyrule & Wild (Linked Universe), I’ll add these as they show up hhhn, Warriors & Wild (Linked Universe)
Comments: 41
Kudos: 237





	1. Highland Stable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright let’s go! This chapter’s a whole lot of nothing but I add some plot at the end. I’m not good at following through with multi-chapter fics, but hopefully this will be different! I have a solid plan and a direction I want to take this so, wish me luck jaja. I hope you enjoy!

“So, that merchant…”

“Yiga Clan,” Wild said, voice clipped. His fists curled uncomfortably at his side. He opened his mouth to add more, but instead upted to spell out the name in sign. _Y-I-G-A._ Then he shortened it to a fist with a thumb and pinky outstretched over his eye. An odd name sign, he thought, though Warriors was not an expert on the language. 

“Yiga Clan,” Warriors repeated, trying the name out. “Do they… bother you often?”

Again, Wild took a second to look like he was barfing out a hairball before finding his words. “Often enough.”

Against his better judgement, Warriors allowed himself to scowl. To make sure Wild wouldn’t get the wrong idea, he adjusted his scarf over his mouth. It was more efficient than attempting to lessen the expression, or swallow down the acid on his tongue. He hated the thought of Wild thinking he was mad at him, instead of those disgusting liars. He felt a pulsing rage in his veins whenever he got the reminder that Hyrule and Wild were punished for their heroic deeds, by cowards who do nothing but backstab and betray.

Wild pointed north, to a long lake stretches out in the land. “That’s Lake Hara. Shouldn’t be long before we reach Highland Stable.”

Warriors nodded. “Do you think they’ll find us there?”

“Hopefully. We’re never been teleported too far from each other, and stables are built to be instantly recognized as a safe zone,” Wild said. Though, his left ear twitched, which Warriors knew meant he was uncertain. 

They’d just arrived from the Sailor’s own Hyrule. There wasn’t much to do in Wind’s small island, and no enemies approaching. They’d considered it a small blessing from the Goddess, a genuine and honest break from the fighting. Hyrule could finally sit down and relax, and take his time to heal the injured without pressure. Twilight could finally take the weight off his bad ankle, and Time could change into comfortable clothing. Warriors himself had been delighted to meet the sailor’s family, and hear more of his marvelous tales!

But it didn’t last long.

Wild’s land was massive and empty. Warriors was used to city life, to sharing a room with at least fifty other cadets. Not the quiet, open fields of this place. Even the villages only held a handful of people, the stables more animals than workers. It was dangerous amongst the woods and canyons, and it seemed, dangerous amongst the people as well. But this land’s hero had adapted, and become one with his land. Stilling when it stilled, and accelerating when it moved. 

But Wild hadn’t looked at ease since the battle with the Yiga. Warriors guessed that like a few of their fellow heroes, he wasn’t used to, or was simply bothered by, to the idea of fighting other men. He’d let the bastard assassin get away with minimal injury, while Warriors himself was aiming for at least immobilizing him. _Next time I see them, I’m going to burn those traitors to the ground_ , Wars thought. Not a threat, but a promise.

“Over there!” Wild interrupted his thoughts. Warriors followed his gaze to a giant horse-like head in the distance. For the first time since the battle, his smile reached his eyes, and he grabbed Warriors by the scarf. “Let’s go!”

Then he began to race down the path.

Wild wasn’t the only Link that thought it was okay to just haul Warriors left and right by the scarf, so he was at least getting used to it. Still, he choked on air, tripping down the hill and praying to Hylia for mercy.

“Shit, it’s the bear rider!” a man hissed as they approached. Wild skidded to a halt to wave, and finally let go of the scarf. Warriors straightened with a huff and a cough. 

The man at the register threw a thumb over his shoulder as Wild approached. Instead of a greeting, he said, “The guys from Outskirt’s brought your big guy over recently. They’re giving him a workout out back.”

Wild nodded, and gestured for Warriors to follow him. They circled the stable and campfire, walked through the Hateno cattle and out the open fence. They walked into an open field, cupped in by large boulders. 

“We’re near the Lake of the Horse God,” Wild chirped, and pointed at the right at a hole in the canyon walls. 

“You sure know your way around here, huh?” Warriors commented. Wild shrugged, “I’ve been around. You walk the same routes enough times, you learn them.”

From their position, Warriors could see the figure of the stablehand guiding Wild’s presumed steed. The more they walked, the more it grew, where it was spinning in circles at full gallop. The man directing it from the ground, with a whip and a rope, seemed to shrink. 

  
  


Warrior shoved down a shiver as he looked up at the massive steed. It’d been a long time since he’d been to the desert, but suddenly he felt the sand under his boots, under his tongue. His vision blurred for a second, but he could picture the Mad King riding it to their final encounter, the beast huffing and grunting from the heat, the weight and the suffocating malice.

He forced himself to blink back to reality, and steady his breathing. The gold turned to green again, and he was in Highland Stable. 

Wild, oblivious to Warriors’s slight crisis, marched forward and took the rope and whip from the stablehand. He hooked his finger lightly into the steed’s noseband, and began walking. The massive stallion, twice Wild’s own height, followed after him with no protest. He motioned for Warriors to step aside as he walked the steed back, into a personal stable at the back. It was twice as large as all the other horses. If Warriors had to guess, he’d assume it used to be two separate stables, with the walls removed to make more space. 

“This is Terum,” Wild introduced. Warriors leaned against the wall, hands crossed over his chest and simply admired the friendly giant. “I… found him.”

Warriors nodded. “Yes, the Ordonian has told me about your skill in taming wild steeds. But how did you catch a Gerudo horse?”

Wild fiddled with the throat latch before removing the bridle, wrapping the rope attached around his forearm. He stepped out of the stable and closed it. Terum stuck his neck over the door and chased after him, nibbling on Wild’s hair.

“I… didn’t know he was Gerudo,” Wild confessed, ignoring the horse to go wash the bit on a nearby tap on the wall. The water fell on their boots. “They don’t really ride horses anymore, they use sand seals. I found Terum in the Faron Grasslands while I was lynel-hunting after the Final Blood Moon.”

The Final Blood Moon, code for the day Wild and his Zelda defeated Ganon. The sky had reddened, a shade never seen before, until it suddenly cleared. For the month after, what used to be a weekly lunar event vanished. The area around Hyrule castle was deserted, which left the event a total mystery for weeks up to months, until the Sheikah of Kakariko and some adventurous travelers managed to spread the tale to their fellow Hylians and other races.

That was the bit that stuck out to Warriors the most about Wild’s tale. Not the beastly form Ganon took, or the curious name they gave him. But rather, how he seemed to simply vanish to the world. All thanks to the Hero, but there was no one there to witness it, offer help, or see the face of the man that freed them. It is a surprisingly quiet end, and Warriors, ever the man for theatrics, felt a pull at his heart when he thought about such an anticlimactic end. He could almost imagine poor Zelda and Wild, walking home to Hateno from the hardest battle of their lives, and being greeted by a sleeping town. Alone. 

Plagued by these thoughts and a sudden weighing sadness, Warriors stepped forward and reached out a hand to the steed, oh so similar to the one of his own story. Terum seemed to eye him for a second, before leaning into his touch. He petted the horse’s nose and said, “He is a fine steed!”

“He is!” Wild exclaimed with a proud smile, “It's kind of strange… big horses usually show signs of foot pains or arthritis by this age. And Terum is huge. But he seems fine, despite being so old. Or, well, seemingly old. We don’t know for sure. Still, it’s odd, right?.”

“Indeed!” Warriors laughed, “Gerudo steeds are incredibly large, though perhaps just as durable. I wonder why they don’t use them anymore.”

“Well they could have... grown too big throughout the years,” Wild mused. He bit his lip in thought and furrowed his brow, “I imagine a horse like this getting sick. How would you even go about treating them? If it were some sort of stomach pain...”

Something like realization seemed to strike Wild at that moment, quickly throwing open the stable door and hitting Warriors in the abdomen. Ouch. He then threw his arm around Terum’s neck. 

“Terum! After all these years you might just be the last of your kind!” He cried. He then fell back and uncliped the slate from his belt, fiddling with it and bringing out a single apple. He fed it to Terum without a second thought. “You’ve given me no choice but to spoil you forever, huh?”

Warriors snorted, and turned to lean against the wall. He looked towards the entrance to see a merchant, carrying a shop’s worth of items on his back. He was about to ask if it’d be okay to buy from that man, before he saw the small group tailing him. A child and two young men, with a palomino mare following close behind. 

“Sailor!” Warriors cried, grabbed Wild by the arm and pulled him out of Terum’s stable. 

Wind stopped midstep, and spotted the pair before Wild could fully comprehend what had happened. 

“You guys!” The smallest hero cried, and sprinted towards them, throwing himself in the air and wrapping his arms around Warriors in a bear hug. “We found you!”

“You sure did!” Wild chirped, reaching over Warriors’ shoulder to ruffle Wind’s hair. “You didn’t run into trouble, did you?”

Twilight and Sky and appeared in through the stable door. They both smiled, and joined the hug. Sky answered, “No monsters, if that’s what you mean, but we had to climb down some steep cliffs at the back. What about you?”

“One Yiga soldier,” Warriors said, hiding a scowl at the reminder. Twilight hissed at the name, as if he knew what Warriors was talking about. Wild must have told him. “Where are the others?”

As if on cue-

“Found you!” Hyrule cried from the door. He ran to Wild and hugged him, before hugging Sky and Twilight at once. He gave up trying to figure out how to hug Wind and Warriors, with the kid not still wrapped around the Captain’s middle, and settled for head pats. 

Four tailed Hyrule through the greetings, and took a moment to playfully tug on Warriors scarf as he passed him. Legend punched Captain in the arm and said, “Good to see you in one piece.” 

The last one to enter was, of course, the Old Man. They were getting looks already, from the oddity of their attire, or just the noise, Warriors couldn’t tell. Either way, Time ignored the stares and practically melted at the sight of their little group. Then he raised his voice like an announcer: 

  
  


“Alright, everybody! Headcount!” He said, and went one by one counting each of them. First on Warriors and Wild (“One, two-), then onto Legend, Four and Hyrule (“-Three, four, five-“), then Twilight and Sky (“Six, seven-“), before ending on Wind, who was still holding onto Warriors’ hip (“-eight.”)

Twilight clapped him on the shoulder in sympathy as the Old Man let out an exhausted sigh. With one signal and an order, Time herded the team outside of the stable. “Alright, then. Let’s plan a strategy. Wild, where should we head?”

“Oh, um. A-actually, give me a minute.” For the first time since arrival, Wild pulled out his slate to check the map. Warriors raised an eyebrow, but leaned in with Twilight, Legend and Time to check. He pointed at the usual yellow dot on the map. 

“We… could head to Kakariko, or Lurelin… it’s good to always try to stay close to the villages…”

He bit his lip, and his left ear twitched. “Where, uh, where do you think we should head?”

“Where do you think we might find a clue as to… who or what we’re facing?” Time said. Wild considered the question for a second before answering, with pure determination. 

“That would be with my Zelda, or one of the Sheikah scientists. They know everything there is to know about our past, and if this force has enough power to affect monsters in all eras, it must be ancient.” Wild blinked for a second, as if perplexed at what he was about to say before adding, “And then there’s Kilton. He knows everything there is to know about monsters. We may find him at any village, but if we are prioritizing the others options… I think Hateno is our best choice.”

“Well, that’s it, then,” Legend said. “Next objective: get to Hateno.”

With a nod, the group parted away from the map, and began heading down the road. They fell into the old routine, with Legend, Wars and Time at the front as the leaders. Then came Four, Wind and Sky in the middle, with Hyrule and Wild a little behind them. Twilight was at the back, with Epona by the reins. Halfway up the hill, though, the Captain realized the slow beat of the mare’s hooves wasn’t following them. 

Sky was the first to stop, though, the group moving around him. “Guys?”

Twilight and Wild stood back, lips pursed and hands curled. Warriors watched for a second, letting them gather their thoughts but they simply didn’t move.

“ _Guys_?” Sky stressed, ever the worrier. 

Then Twilight nodded out of the blue. Wild nodded back to his mentor, and brought his hands to his lips. He whistled, two notes in succession and a louder, brighter three. He got the group’s attention, and those who hadn’t caught on stopped moving completely. “I have an announcement!”

Silently, Wild leaned down and picked off a pebble from the ground. Then he unclipped the Sheikah Slate from his belt. He said, “There’s been something I’ve been meaning to try.”

Then, without another word, Wild slammed the rock into the Sheikah Slate’s screen, causing sparks and lights to flash until they quieted, vanished, dead. The glass was completely shattered. The group went silent.

“Wild, _why the fuck_ -”


	2. Faron Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wild has a reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! This is not beta’d still, so read at own risk. Thank you so much to everyone who commented and supported this fic, it really means the world to me!! Enjoy!

“Please, just hear me out!” Wild interjected quickly, at the same time that Twilight stepped forward to say, “Hear him out, Legend.” 

Wild raised his hands in surrender. Legend was somewhere between seething rage and disbelief, but bit his tongue just barely to let Wild continue. His expression shifted from staring at the broken screen in horror, to looking at the ground in disbelief, to staring at Wild in barely-restrained rage. He threw his hands in the air and said, “This better be fucking good!”

“It is!” Wild reassured, then hesitated, “I-I talked it out with Twilight.” 

That did not lessen Legend’s rage. Rather, it redirected at the Ordonian, two-toned eyes sparking. Sky turned to look at Twilight as well, more concerned than cross. 

Twilight took a deep breath before speaking, “Wild here wanted to give himself a ‘ _Major Test of Strength_ ’.”

Wind jumped up, “Like the monks used to!”

“You remember the monks!” Wild cried, overjoyed. Wind grinned.

“Of course I do, I love your stories!”

“Thank you, Wind, that really means al-“

“That is _not_ the thing to focus on!” Warriors hissed, stepping between the two. Then, he allowed his eyes to wander to the broken device at Wild’s hip. It’d been so fast, he’d barely had time to interject before his friend sabotaged his own _lifeline._ The one that he’d carried his rations in, his endless weapon supplies, his enchanted arrows. And while he looked so _calm._

Warriors felt a twist in his gut, not too different from when his archers ran out of ammunition, or when a shield snapped at the wrong time. Wild had never had to experience that feeling before. 

Until now. 

“It’s fine, guys. Just-“ Wild curled his hands into fists. “I wouldn’t have done it unless I knew that the screen could be repaired.”

“There is a Sheikah scientist by Wild’s house in Hateno, which is around a day’s walk from here. She can repair it,” Twilight reassured, though side-eyeing Wild disapprovingly, before adding, “We’d agreed that we would wait until the portals took us to his time, and no more than this distance away from his home. The journey should be around twelve hours on horseback with little rest. Wild wants to spend this time fighting without the slate, the way he used to before he lost his memories.”

The group sobered up, the same way they did every time Wild’s memory loss was brought up. It was an issue that made the hero himself uncomfortable and skittish, that they never knew how to approach.

Still, Legend found it in him to scowl, and with one final glare in Wild’s direction said, “You didn’t have to _break_ it, dumbass. What if it’s too much for you to handle, huh?”

“That’s why I have you guys, right?” Wild, the little shit, grinned at him. Then slowly, bit by bit, the smile fell, “…besides, I don’t want to be tempted into backing out. I’m a hero of courage, too. I know I can do this.”

Twilight smiled.

“Wild, this isn’t a _game_ ,” Legend urged, “You can get yourself hurt, you can get someone else hurt!”

“I won’t! Legend, I am being serious!”

“What about when your little sword breaks like _everything you touch_? What then?”

“It’s a savage Lynel sword and I haven’t used it once! It’s in perfect condition and it should last all the way to Hateno!”

The reasoning was solid, but Legend still looked apprehensive. His angry facade began to break, more confusion and worry filtering through. “But what if-!”

“Legend,” Time cut in, “Drop it. There’s nothing we can do about it now, is there?”

The Old Man was trying to be reassuring, but Legend’s face just reddened like a scolded child. Still, he sighed through his nose and unclenched his fist.

He raised an accusing finger in Wild’s direction and snapped, “Don’t expect me to take any hits for you. And if you try to take a hit for somebody else and your shield breaks or your sword snaps or _some bullshit_ , I’m going to tie you to Epona and let her drag you all the way the stupid Sheikah lab.”

Wild nodded rapidly. Legend, now satisfied, returned to his spot at the front of the group and prepared to go back on their way. 

Four stepped forward, “What do you plan to do with our rations?”

“There’s some berries and animals to hunt by the Faron Woods,” Wild said, pointing west. “We need to pass them either way.”

Twilight let out a sigh through his nose, unhappy as ever to hunt without necessity. Still, he nodded at Warriors, Hyrule and Wild. “You three, go see what you can find. The rest of us will move ahead and wait for you at the crossroads.”

“Be careful,” Wild warned. “The Outpost and East Post ruins used to be flooded with Moblins. Monsters have been avoiding going out after the blood moons disappeared, so they shouldn’t be out, but-“

“But stranger things have happened recently,” Time concluded with a nod. “We’ll be careful.”

Warriors felt the knot in his stomach stubbornly settle, even as they began to head up the path. He continued to glance down at the broken device as the woods grew thick around them. Then they finally split, the larger group heading north up the crossroads as Wild instructed. As they separated, there were a few words of farewell thrown around, many ‘ _Good Luck_!’s, and a bit too many, ‘ _Be careful,_ **_Wild!_** ’s. Then they were gone.

And his two companions, Wild and Hyrule, disappeared too. 

It was something he’d expect of the two, like the free spirits they were. Ordering those two to hunt felt like lightning canons, for the two always burst to life at the idea and rushed into action. They had their own system, sometimes working together and synchronizing their hunts, others just avoiding each other’s turf and reuniting at the end. The two would always show up back to camp with their arms full of food and meat, and the stupidest proud grins on their faces. It wasn’t like they _needed_ to carry the food, they could just stuff it in the slate. But those were the few instances where the timid Hyrule and the skittish Wild simply felt like showing off.

Well, Warriors wasn’t a survivalist like the other two. He’d grown up in the city, with a roof over his head and parents to feed him five meals a day. But he’d also spent time in the army, where he was educated in how to just barely scrape by if separated from his squad. Granted, textbooks and exams can only teach you so much compared to gaining experience in the field, but he knew enough. 

Enough to instantly recognize which berries would and wouldn’t kill him, actually. So he left the hunting and scavenging to the experts and got to cutting out berries and digging out heart radishes on his own. 

Until he felt a tug on his scarf. From above.

“Ptsss, Wars,” Hyrule whispered, perched on a low hanging branch. “Get over here for a second.”

Oh dear.

With Hyrule’s help, he lifted himself into the branches, slipping on the tree’s moss on the way. Hyrule greeted him with a nervous smile and tossed him a bag. “I got us some meat and herbs. You?”

“Some berries and radishes,” Warriors answered, imitating Hyrule’s whisper. He noticed, on the tree opposite to theirs on the stone path, was Wild. The Champion waved at Warriors and brought a finger to his lips, before pointing to a doe and a deer down the path. 

Immediately, Warriors saw the problem here. They probably had enough food to last them the day, but Wild was still hunting. Wild, who had such an odd way of handling his bows they _took damage_ and broke on half. With one glance at Hyrule, he knew the other understood the problem here. If their best archer lost his main weapon, they’d be in trouble. 

So, just as Wild was beginning to aim, Hyrule clicked his tongue to gain his attention.

_Maybe I should be the one, you don’t want to waste arrows,_ he signed, his movements shaky and nervous. 

Wild, not willing to let go of the bow to sign, hissed with a grimace. “Hyrule, you’re not Tw- you’re _not my mom_ , and you don’t need to worry about me.”

Hyrule gave him a dry look, but Warriors was the one to reply, “He knows he’s not your Twilight-I-Mean-Mom, but he’s got a point. Your weapons don’t tend to last long. We’re just being cautious.”

“Well, then just give me one of yours!” Wild snapped, and expended a hand towards Wars. Wrong move. The prey heard him, because of course it did, and the two of them quickly darted away. 

Wild turned to them with arms crossed and a pout. He was not actually upset, that much was obvious, so Warriors returned the expression maturely. With a raspberry added. Wild stuck his tongue out in return. Warriors stuck his tongue out further. And Hyrule, seemingly the only person present above five years old, hopped off the tree with the meat sack thrown over his shoulder. 

“I think he should get back now,” Hyrule said, voice fond yet exaspera. Wild nodded and hopped off as well, Warriors sliding down after him.

“Hopefully we can still catch up with them before they’ve crossed Lake Hylia,” Wild said, tucking his bow back over his back, and led the way. 

  
  


Outside the forest, and up the stone steps, they arrived at Hylia Bridge. He and Hyrule walked side by side, their footsteps synchronizing adorably. Warriors, for once at the back of the ground, smiled at the way they seemed to relax around each other. That was one thing he loved about their little group. They don’t have to pretend to be heroes around each other, for there was no fairytale to keep alive. No judgement. 

It was something Warriors found comfort in often. As much as he genuinely enjoyed looking after himself and his looks, it could grow to be exhausting. As much as he loved the position of Captain, it’s a weight that fell heavy on his shoulders. But nobody was there to force him into those roles anymore, and that had become clear to him early into their journey. 

It’s a sentiment he thought everyone shared. But now… 

Warriors hesitated in his step. When he spoke, it was with a dry throat. 

  
  
  


“You know you… don’t have anything to prove to us, right?”

His stomach felt heavy with failure. Failure in looking after his little brothers as much as they look after him. 

Wild stopped and turned around, giving Warriors a weird look. Hyrule stopped as well. They were almost through Lake Hylia, nearing the high and mighty entrance of the bridge. 

There’s a pause, small and simple before he said, “I do.” 

Then he continues walking in long strides, as if nothing had happened. And all Warriors can do is sputter.

He exchanged a glance with Hyrule. “But then- why in the world would you-”

“It’s just… I’m proving something to myself,” Wild replied, and he had the gall to _shrug._

“What do you mean?” Hyrule asked, catching up to Wild. Warriors followed close behind, but despite his longer strides, the other two had him beat. 

  
  


“I’ve been getting... memories. Of when I was Zelda’s night. And I didn’t have _this thing with me_ ,” was Wild’s answer, as he gestured vaguely to the broken slate at his side. He looked to the open skies as he said it, as if looking to his own past, “I was stronger, faster, _capable_. And I just... I’d stopped feeling like I was stuck in his shadow when I rescued Zelda from the Calamity. But now I’m wondering if I ever did.”

Again, the pit in everyone else’s stomach. Amnesia, confusing and lonely and merciless. Hyrule’s face pinches like he wants to speak really, really badly. But he doesn’t, which is just as usual as that tightened expression. So Warriors spoke up on his own. 

“Wild, I doubt Zelda would be very happy to know you’re putting yourself at risk just to feel... independent from your past.” He tries to invoke his best Captain voice, but ends up sounding like a knock-off Time. So maybe being able to rely on others has softened him up a bit. 

“I know that!” Wild said, “And that’s not- I mean it is, but-!”

He looked a perfect mix between exasperated at _them_ and guilty at _himself_. He stopped walking at the stonearch at the end of the bridge, and gave both Hyrule and Warriors the most honest look he could muster. 

“I know I’m... just as much of a hero as the Old Me. But I’m tired of feeling like a lesser version of him,” He said, with a hard stare at his companions. “I haven’t lost my old courage, I haven’t lost my old abilities- I just use them differently. I’m going to prove it to myself, and to do that, I can’t go around relying on my dumb slate to save my ass at every turn. Because _he_ didnt’t.”

Wild used to be a knight. If they’d been born in the same timeline, he’d been put under Warrior’s care. Hyrule was thin and tiny compared to Wild, but they’re both tiny compared to _anyone_. Warriors felt the brotherly pull at his heartstrings, the one he felt when he was made to walk cadets into a battlefield. But it didn’t just mean worry. No, that pull made his heart swell with overflowing pride.

Warriors laid both hands and the Champion’s shoulders. 

“If you really want to do this, none of us can stop you. But you can’t stop us from being there for you along the way.”

Then he wrapped an arm around Wild’s neck and ruffled the kid’s hair, because at his core, Warriors was just an older brother who loved making fun of his siblings. Wild pushed the other off with a laugh stumbling back and slamming into Hyrule. 

Before Wild could apologize, Hyrule spoke up, voice small. “Wild?”

“Yeah?”

“They said we would meet at the Outpost Ruins, right? And that there might be monsters?”

“Yeah, there could always be a couple, but they haven’t set up camp in the open since-“

“A _couple?_ ” Hyrule turns to them, finally, face white and eyes hard. His finger points towards the horizon, towards the ruins and the _smoke._ When the Champion and the Captain looked, and saw the unmistakable blaze, the path down to the incontrolable fire. 

Squinting, they spot the looming figures crawling over the old rocks and ruins. Dread fell hard and heavy over them. 

“They’re not- they’re _Guardians,_ ” Wild rasped, “F-four, five- I’ve never seen so many, and _here?_ ”

“They’re infected,” Hyrule concluded in a horrified gasp. “The others walked right into an infected monster camp.”

_They’ll be fine, they’ll be fine, they’ll be fine-_

“Let’s move, _now_!” The voice of a Captain commanded and the three heroes sprinted down the hill, into the fire. 


	3. Outpost Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why is it firing like this?, Wild thought, Can it not handle this kind of overcharge? It made sense, in theory, for a machine to not be able to properly respond to and use the infection’s power. It simply wasn’t built for it. But it didn’t make them less lethal. It just made them unpredictable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I! Had! A hard time writing this! I’ve never done an action scene before, but this fic’s entire purpose is to push my self to my limits, y’know? Sorry for the delay, hopefully now that I’ve gotten this chapter done I can work a little faster. Thank you for your patience, and for the support you’ve given my previous chapters! Now let’s jump right into it!

The first thing Wild did was lunge for the unlucky target of Guardian’s laser. Daruk’s Protection loomed over him, warm and bright, as his body hit his partner the second the laser fired. Warriors threw one hand into the air and pointed left. Behind him, Hyrule turned sharply on command, while Warriors chased after the rolling figures, taking a second to aim an arrow sharply at the Guardian’s eye. It landed and, just as Wild had once said, the arrow successfully blinded the creature. 

The two figures rolled, down the hill and under the closest cover. They ducked inside a watch tower’s remains, and together they pushed themselves as hard as they could against the wall. 

“Thanks for that,” Sky gasped and threw down his shield on the floor. The metal was half-melted, filled with dents. “This thing wouldn’t have lasted another blow.”

Wild nodded, grimacing down at his own Royal Shield. It would do the trick, but if he misses a single parry- not to mention those things were  _ infected _ -

“How many of your magic shields do you have left?”

Wild’s expression soured further, “Two.”

“And the lightning?”

“One. I don’t remember when I used it, but they don’t recharge until I’ve used them all.”

A blast sounded in the distance. The walls shook. Wild swallowed, pulling his hood over his head. “Did you guys- do you have a plan already?” 

Sky nodded, drumming his fingers on the hilt of his sword before saying, “Time said to split into twos, if possible. One draws the fire, the other one breaks it apart from behind-“

“- _ I’ll draw the fire _ ,” They both said at the same time, then scowled at each other for choosing to be the sacrificial lamb. 

Still, Wild had Daruk’s protection with him, while Sky had the Master Sword. The choice made itself. With a heavy sigh, the knight from Skyloft relented. “Be careful, okay? You don’t have access to your potions anymore.”

Wild gave him a firm nod and a smile, and together they jumped into the fray. The paths were tight as the military base it once inhabited, so Wild squished his way onto the stone path as far as he could. He took step into the sunlight, and immediately saw the red dot land on his chest. The rhythmic beeping began, and he held his shield up.

He counted, one, two, three, four-  _ fire!  _ And he threw his arm out in defense, muscle memory taking over. He could do it with his eyes closed, if he wanted to. And he felt the moment the laser collided-

Not with his shield, with the ground, right under Wild’s feet. 

Daruk’s protection kept him unharmed, but it  _ didn’t _ keep him from being thrown six feet in the air. 

His back hit the floor as the sound of canons continued, his breath cut off abruptly. Lightning fast, he raised his head to see the Guardian continuing to fire at the spot he’d just been in. Repeatedly and uselessly, shot after shot, beam after beam. It seemed almost enraged. Then, at the last second, it changed direction, raising the blast from the floor to the open air. Wild pressed his chest against the ground to avoid being hit. 

_ Why is it firing like this?,  _ Wild thought,  _ Can it not handle this kind of overcharge? _ It made sense, in theory, for a machine to not be able to properly respond to and use the infection’s power. It simply wasn’t built for it. On one hand, this was a great conclusion to come to. It meant that this corruption couldn’t intentionally be used as a method of killing them faster. But it was also a terrible conclusion, because now the Guardians have lost what made them easy to kill in the first place: their predictability.   
  


Wild rolled over once again, and jumped to his feet. At a loss, he prepared his stance despite knowing a parry would not only be impossible to do, but possibly lethal. He began to feel his throat closing up with anxiety. Against his better judgement, he brought his hands up to his chest and furiously signed,  _ Get on with it! _ , presumably at Sky, even though Wild knew that the other was most likely too preoccupied at the moment to look in his direction. 

The Guardian’s eye began to blink furiously again, as if reeling from the shock of its own attack. Both heroes took this as their time to attack. Sky, coming from behind the back, and Wild attempting to close the distance between them from the front. The Skyloftian jumped on and off a wooden barrel stationed against the ruined walls. The fall gave him enough force to slam the Master Sword down on one the robot’s hind legs, cutting it off cleanly. As the guardian’s upper half began to spin to find its attacker, Wild distracted it with a well-aimed arrow. It’s red laser found Wild again, and this time it’s only two beats before it fires. He activates Daruk’s Protection on instinct, but managed to avoid the hit by jumping right altogether, for the laser ended up fairing up, down, then up again into the heavens. 

In that time, Sky had cut off two more of the enemy’s legs, leaving it dragging itself desperately by the three on the front. The metal scraped against the stone as it tried to lift its own weight and failed. Spider-like, the Guardian began to try to crawl up the sides of the nearby ruins, and Sky and Wild took the opportunity to finish it off. 

With his last Urbosa’s fury, Wild snapped his fingers. Thunder slammed down on his enemy. Its light, red with malice, began to blink blue in disorientation. Sky climbed half-way up the same wall the Guardian was propped on- he kicked himself off from there, slamming his back onto the beast’s head and landing it on its side. Then, while straddling it’s head, Sky slammed the Master Sword into its eye, finishing it off for good.

The beast shook and vibrated, steamed like a tea kettle, before falling apart on its side in a burst of blue light. Sky fell forward, hit the floor. Wild rushed to his side to help him up.

Sky smiled tiredly as Wild pulled him to his feet, and patted his companion on the shoulder. “We should start looking for the others.”

_ How many Guardian’s were there?  _ Wild signed.

“I think… five or so. Time took one on his own, so did Legend...I saw Hyrule heading in Four’s direction… Twi probably stuck with Wind,” Sky squinted, and tapped his own forehead to try and clear his memories. Eventually, with a defeated huff he said, “I know that Legend opposite way from everyone else.”

_Warriors must have gone after him,_ Wild said, vaguely remembering the Captain rushing past them at the entrance. _I’ll_ _go help. It’s not like I have any potions in hand to offer._ _Twi said he had more than enough for emergencies-_

“But he could always use some help,” Sky finished, his shoulders slumping. Wild turned on his heel, and began to scan the buildings for the best vantage point to find Warriors and Legend’s location. But Sky called out to him, “Hey, wait!”

He turned to find a sight he’d never thought he’d see again. Sky offering the Master Sword to him.  _ Willingly.  _

“I want you to have it,” Sky said. 

Wild’s eyes widened, ears twitching anxiously like a cuckoo at knife point. The last time he’d held it, the Master Sword ran out of energy in ten minutes flat, something it’d never done with any other heroes. Sky had screamed his ear off for an hour. 

_ “Temporarily _ ,” Sky specified with a dry look that screamed  _ don’t make me regret it _ . Wild nodded adamantly, taking the sword by the hilt with a grateful nod. He stared at the blade, shiny and bright and _familiar_. In turn, he handed Sky the savage lynel sword, though he hoped the other wouldn’t have to use it. “Take care of her, and she’ll take care of you. Be careful.”

Wild nodded without looking up, a bit enamored by the comfortable feel of his weapon. Sky reluctantly began to rummage through his bag, counting his potions with a frown as his eyes flickered back to Wild. His companions’ reluctance to let him walk into danger always baffled and endeared him to the others, so Wild tried to give Sky the most reassuring smile he could muster before saluting his goodbye. The two headed in opposite directions, and Wild began to climb up the rock walls. 

Pulling himself onto the ledge, Wild was met with the sight of Hyrule Field’s green hills. He felt his side and palms begin to burn, ever so slightly, most likely from scrapes he got from his fall. Nothing major, thank Hylia, and he decided to walk it off on his way to the others. 

_ I don’t have access to my supplies,  _ Wild thought with a grimace.  _ I can’t just sit down and start making red potions when this is done. I have to find the items all over again. I’m an idiot. I’m an  _ **_idiot_ ** _.  _

After walking over countless ruined buildings, berating himself for yet another terrible choice being added to his terrible choice collection, the sound of lasers became less frequent. The battle was dying down around him, with the voices of more and more heroes sounding victorious. Eventually, it became just two sets of firing up ahead of him, with the sources hidden between half-built ruins and military town remains. The jumping and hopping reminded him of his experience cheating on maze-type puzzles, where he walked along over the walls instead of following the paths. It worked back then, and worked now. 

In a half-square of an abandoned military war room, he found Warriors. He was standing in a circle of rock and rubble, back against the wall as he banged his sword against his shield to drive a Guardian’s attention towards himself. A second Guardian, Wild saw, was skitting away from the ruins into Hyrule. He figured Legend must be the hero taking care of that one. 

With what might have been a cocky smile, Wild kicked off the edge and took aim midair. He pulled the arrow to his cheek, released it in the same breath it took him to ready his landing, just like he’d done a hundred times before. His feet hit the floor, the arrow hit its mark. 

With the Guardian blinded, Warriors used his chance to duck under the enemy, rolling away from the corner he’d driven himself into. He climbed back out and, without a word, grabbed Wild by the coat and forcefully shoved him away the room. 

He didn’t stop running, either. Warriors began to head exactly the way Wild had come, into the ever smaller hallways of the Outpost. He kept his face stern and arm firm, as he pulled them further and further in, all while the Guardian gave chase.

Finally, Wild’s mind caught up with the action, his feet beginning their own sprint instead of letting the Captain pull him along. He had half a second to consider asking Warriors  _ what the hell are you doing don’t turn your back on a Guardian,  _ he realized. Why hadn’t the Guardian fired yet? It had more than enough time to recharge already.

“That thing’s going rays are too large to dodge,” Warriors hissed, and let go of Wild, trusting the other would keep running. “We gotta hide.  _ Now.” _

He didn’t need to be told twice. Both spotted their hiding places at once, and split up. Wild turned on a dime and ducked behind a pillar he’d passed, the remains of a lookout post between two buildings. Warriors stepped on a nearby barrel, used it to launch himself over the edge of a roof’s remains. 

The Guardian kept straight regardless, six legs unorganized and erratic, as if it didn’t realize its targets were both gone. With no one left to shoot at, it fired its weapon forward, through concrete and rubble. Wild had to pick his jaw off the floor as he stared. 

Red and purple, black fire in its wake- the laser  _ roared  _ as it flew, the force of it pushing the Guardian itself back. Destructive, massive. Wild found himself thrown back in time, staring up at the nose of Calamity Ganon’s beastly form. The burning smell, the heat in his face- all too familiar. Not a second later, he was at Fort Hateno, hearing Zelda’s screams as she told him to-

“Move!”

The Guardian’s head had started spinning, with the beam still roaring at full force. As the burning ray approached, Wild pressed his back against the pillar as overwhelming heat surrounded him. Fire burned his cheeks, his skin. He bit back a cry, shutting his eyes tightly as his sides burned and  _ ached _ . 

A long, long time ago, when he had first been gifted with Mipha’s Grace, Wild had begun to use her name as a mantra when he was in trouble. When he was in free fall, in danger, up against the unknown.  _ Mipha, Mipha, Mipha.  _ He mouthed the name to himself even as he decided, through an adrenaline-filled haze, to summon Daruk’s Protection to block off the heat. 

The last shield sparked to life just in time to protect him from the Guardian’s final push, before breaking into a hundred pieces. Then Wild, too, feel back and collapsed. 

Out of breath, he could do little more than listen to the battle behind him as he pulled himself to his feet. His fingers, numb and shaking, wrapped around the Master Sword in a white-knuckled grip. A new voice had joined the battle, and it wasn’t Warriors. His hearing was ringing, but he could still distinguish the curses being thrown around as too unrefined for the Captain. 

Slowly he shook himself out of his haze and tried to step out of his hiding place, only to be pushed right back into place by a blue-gloved hand. 

“ Are you hurt _? _ ” Warriors asked urgently, giving Wild a once over. The Champion shook his head. He made to join the fray again, but was shoved back once again. “Don’t. We need a plan.”

Then without another word, he lowered both hands to his navel, tying his fingers together. Offering leverage. Wild took the hint, placing his boot in between them and letting the Captain push him to a higher vantage point, up the pillar he’d been hiding behind. From there he could see Legend had once again drawn the Guardian away from the Outposts’ paths, further into the field. If Wild stayed at this distance, it’d be impossible to hit the Guardian in the eye. So he jumped, from one pillar to another, until all he faced was an expanse of green. The Captain followed his movement from the ground. 

“We’ll bring him back to you,” Warriors said. Then after a second, he added. “The veteran is injured. Be sure to cover him at all costs.”

Wild’s head whipped around so fast to look, his neck popped with the movement. Sure enough, even as he delivered blow after blow to the Guardian’s limbs, Legend’s tunic had been burned off at the edges, and the side of his right thigh sported a bright red burn. If it had been Wild, he’d have teleported out of there immediately. But Legend didn’t have that luxury, and Legend kept fighting  _ for them.  _ Not to mention, this was his second guardian,  _ at least _ .

Wild made a mental note to make ungodly amounts of carrot cake for dessert as a well-earned  _ thank you  _ for the veteran hero. 

But for now, he settled for drawing his bow and shooting as Warriors began to make noise in his shield, drawing attention away from the veteran. His first arrow bounced off the enemy’s head uselessly. The Guardian’s head turned, it’s eye sparking red in recognition. It’s light found its spot above Wild’s chest, before the red dot lowered down to Warriors on the ground, who halted in his rapid approach suddenly. Both of their ears perked up at the sound the enemy emitted, recognizing the speeding pattern of the Guardian loading up yet another ray. Both held their ground for a single, frightened second, wondering how in the world it could have loaded up so fast again-

And they both snapped out of their trance as the red dot lifted to the air, and the guardian lost balance. 

“Thank fucking Hylia,  _ finally _ ,” Legend cried. He’d successfully caught off the hind legs, and was now staring at the pair with a  _ get the fuck on with it  _ expression. Wild wasted no time responding after that, pulling his arm back and shooting an arrow straight at the glass. Two more soon followed, and the Guardian began to spark and twist as if in pain. With the beam held back by the arrow heads, all three heroes turned to the offensive. 

Wild hopped off his spot and ran forward to join his others on the ground, Master Sword in hand. Almost in sync with Warriors, he swung at the leg to his left. The sword bounced off once, but in a second a spin and strike it broke through the metal in a dash of blue light

_ God, she’s the best _ , Wild thought to himself,  _ she’s the best sword in the land.  _ The sword seemed to shine brighter for a moment, and Wild took that small power up and used it in full. He sprung up, digging his heel into the patterns of the Guardian’s bottom disk to give himself leverage- and  _ slashed  _ across its face, ripping the ancient metals from the top of its eyes to the base of its head. Blinding it, hurting it, stopping it.

The Guardian twisted its body in defiance, and Wild fell chest-first on the grass. Before a massive leg could crush him, Warriors slammed his body against the enemy, pushing it back before he slashed it with his own sword. With the final leg successfully broken, all it took was Legend burying his blade through the Master Sword’s opening, and the Guardian began to steam. 

It shook and shivered for just a few seconds, blue light broke through the cracks. The robot exploded, leaving behind a heap of gears and pieces Wild was too exhausted to even think of collecting. All three of them took a moment to catch their breathes. Wild buried his fingers into the grass below him, and closed his eyes as the other too began to get up. 

“Alright so, fuck  _ that _ ,” Legend snapped, pointing an accusing finger at the spot where the guardian used to stand. “ _ Forever _ .”

Wild groaned in response, but didn’t have the energy to even lift his head in acknowledgement. Besides him, a body collapsed in exhaustion as well. 

The Champion turned his head, cheek dragging on the grass and dirt, to come face to face with the Captain. The Captain, who’s face was pale, sweaty and  _ haunted _ , in a way Wild couldn’t predict. He expected exhaustion but…

Before he could ask if the other was okay, Warriors eyes met his. A shiver ran through the other, and his expression immediately schooled. 

“Sorry. I was… thinking,” The Captain said, and swallowed.

Legend made his way over, barely concealing his limp. He looked between the two and said. “You both look like shit.”

“Have you looked in a mirror?”

Wild snorted, and rolled on his back to get a look at Legend’s unimpressed expression. Still, his eyes traveled back to the Captain once more, uneasy at the sudden shift demeanor. He brought his hands up to sign,  _ Did something happen _ , but before he could even get Warriors' attention, a shadow fell over all three of them. 

Standing over them, at the entrance of the Outpost, stood Time, relief melting his expression once again. 

“There you are,” He said, words almost a sigh. 

“Hey, Old Man,” the three said in unison. 

With a smile and a shoulder roll, the Hero of Time turned to those behind him and yelled, “Alright, everybody regroup! Headcount!”


	4. Fort Hateno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said that after chapter 3 I was going to speed up my writing process? Yeah, I lied.

Shortly after their reunion, and after the red potions were passed around, the group continued on their way. This time, the line they walked in was different. Wild and Twilight were at the front, with Epona following to one side as they led the way. Twilight’s fur pelt had been burnt off at the edges, and he’d thrown it over Epona’s saddle like a blanket. Time was a little behind them, close enough to keep his eye on both the front and the back of the group. Sky and Legend came after, with Legend‘s footing still uneven. His leg was covered in ointment already, and the longer he walked, the more the limp lessened. Then came Four and Wind, who were bruised and dirt-covered, but otherwise unharmed. Finally, at his usual spot at the back of the line was Hyrule, who also sported a half-burnt sleeve and a burn on his right arm. He still carried the ration’s bag, having diligently kept it from harm as he fought. 

Even further behind was their Captain. Exhausted and on edge, he chose that spot to better watch others, and watch for any other threats approaching. He didn't often stay behind, if it all, but this time was different. This time he wanted to keep all his men within sight. It was the least he could do, considering how he’d almost-

“We’re arriving at Fort Hateno,” Wild called over his shoulder. He reached a hand and curled his fingers around the back of Twilight’s tunic. “It won’t be long until we get to the cottage.”

After the Outpost, the group had crossed the dueling peaks and arrived at a nearby stable. Still, Wild insisted they walked a little further, to a place they could stay for free. With Wild’s own money being stuck in the broken slate, and the other heroes low on items to trade, they decided to keep marching. At Wild’s statement, relief and exhaustion rolled over the group in waves. Shoulders slumped, feet began to drag, weapons were sheathed and lower. But the Champion wasn’t done talking. 

“There’s a Guardian cemetery around the corner, though. So watch out.”

And with a groan, weapons were unsheathed again. 

Slowly, the grand scenery changed to match Wild’s description. Over the green hills sprouted metal legs and limbs. Between the rocks under their feet were screws and bolts. Even the clouds, looming and threatening, seemed to come together to make this field reek of death. The path had left them into a field of broken guardian bodies, and the group was on edge. 

Surprisingly, no one was more unnerved than Wild. 

He walked with his head bowed, gripping the Ordonian’s arm for comfort.  _ Memories _ , Warriors realized,  _ this place must have bad memories.  _ The others knew it too, for none of them asked questions about the ruins and the land. Wild would come to them for memories when he wanted to. 

Wild didn’t speak until the group crossed under a fort’s entrance, and a small cottage appeared from within the trees. He released his death grip on Twilight’s arm and stepped aside. 

“Is this your home?” Warriors asked. 

“Nope,” said Wild, and he, along with several members of their group, made his way inside. 

None of them made a fuss about the blatant breaking and entering. They quickly dumped their bags unceremoniously on the nearby shelves or the floor. The Old Man began to peel of his armor layers. Legend had the absolute gall to throw himself on some stranger’s bed, crossing his arms behind his head. 

Warriors stood at the door, gaping, watching this crime unfold before his eyes before asking in a strained voice, “Who’s house is this _? _ ”

“Uh, some guy’s,” Wild answered, dumping his bag and his broken slate on a nearby table, “But he said I was welcome, so.”

“Oh, he did?” Time said, pleasantly surprised. “Nice of him.”

_ You were planning to stay here regardless?!  _ Warriors thought, but didn’t say. After frantically looking around for any signs of guilt on the other's faces, his shoulders slumped, resigned. He was too exhausted to get into a fight about this, and prayed that however this owner was, he had enough of a soft spot for Wild that he would allow him to keep eight guests over if he asked. 

Wild leaned over and handed the Master Sword back to Sky, who was making his own bed at the foot of the fireplace with his sailcloth. 

“Thanks for lending her to me,” He said. After a beat, he begrudgingly added,“I’d missed her. She… makes everything easier, in the end.”

Warriors vaguely remembered Wild’s reaction to hearing Sky talk about the sword’s spirit- A bitter remark about her unfeeling nature and trails. The conversation had turned into a small spat between the two. That, on top of Wild’s carelessness in handling it, had created a tension between them whenever the sword was discussed. 

But as Sky gently took the sword with a smile and a “It’s no problem,” the tension seemed to vanish like a dust cloud. 

Legend moved to make space for Hyrule on the bed, while the others looked for their own little corners to sleep in. Twilight took off his fur pelt and handed it to Four and Wind, who were making a bundle of capes and tunics next to Sky by the fireplace. Then, the Ordonian picked his spot right next to the entrance, propping his sword up against the door frame, sitting still like a guard dog. Once Wild found some blankets tucked under the bed, he laid them right next to Twilight as a bed for the two of them.  The remaining set of blankets went to Time and Warriors. Time dumped his share at the foot of the bed, then began to peel off his armor. Before Warriors could decide a good place for his own, Wind made the choice for him. 

“Cuddle pile!” The sailor demanded, grabbing Warriors’s scarf and tugging with surprising might. The Captain allowed himself to stumble into Sky, Four and Wind’s blanket pile. Accepting his pillowing fate was far, far too easy, and he’s surprised to find just how much that fight drained him, despite being nothing compared to the hordes they’d been used to. He only took on two of those guardians himself. 

Then again, there had been a few close calls. Perhaps it was the stress that had exhausted him so. Not to mention, he’d almost let Wild get-

“Don’t get too comfortable!” The Champion called, raising from his spot with a smile. “If you guys fall asleep before I can make dinner, I’ll never forgive you.”

Sky hummed from next to the fireplace, eyes closed. Warriors doubted he’d actually heard. The Veteran merely raised a hand, humming in acknowledgement while keeping his eyes close anyways. 

Wild rolled his eyes before leaving, bag of food in his hand and broken slate on his hip.

Feeling his eyes begin to close, the Captain decided that if he didn’t find something to do, he’d find himself in the same boat as Sky and the Veteran. So, he untangled himself from Wind’s mess of blankets, ignoring the Sailor’s protest and decided to follow the Champion outside. Hopefully, the other’s company and the smell of food would be enough to keep him awake.

The woods outside were cool. At first, Warriors had found the smell of the forest to be off-putting, but after traveling for so long, he’s come to accept the heavy musk, the scent of grass and the humid earth . It quickly became a constant, a replacement for the scent of street food and lit candles he's come to love. Warriors made his way down the steps and found Wild leaning over a pot not too far from the cottage. 

“Room for one more?” Warriors asked as he approached, looking for a patch of dry ground to sit. 

Wild looked up from his work and smiled, scooting a little bit to offer a spot. “Always.” 

Warriors peered into a pot, finding meats and sauces simmering. The smell was tantalizing, and he watched as Wild poured spices in with newfound wakefulness. After a moment, he sat down.

“So,” he began when he was sure Wild was not occupied.. “How is this  _ test of strength  _ going for you?”

Wild shifted in his seat, adjusting his cloak nervously. Warriors waited.

“It’s… different.” He finally said, “It’s not exactly Eventide Island.”

“Pardon?”

“It was- it was a different kind of trail,” Wild was quick to explain. As he spoke next, he gestured with his ladle still in hand, spraying sauce without meaning to. “It was similar, in the sense that I had all contents wiped from my slate. But I still had it with me. The bombs, the runes, and the weird pocket-dimension that keeps my food stored and frozen. They were all with me.”

Warriors hummed. “So, this is a different level of difficulty for you, then.”

Wild nodded, and fiddled for a second. The captain took note of his stutters and his fidgeting. Why did he seem so on edge? Quickly, he decided to change the subject, looking around until his eyes landed on the cooking pot.

“Speaking of food storage, what are you making?” The Captain said with a smile.

“Well, most of the radishes and mushrooms got crushed to mush during the fight, so don't expect much from those. I’m hoping to make some meat skewers, though. Oh, and I had these with me, thankfully, so those survived.”  He pointed his chin at a sack of endura carrots and apples by his feet.

“The rest of the ingredients for Legend’s carrot cake should be easy to find once we’re home,” He said, before kicking the sack under the stool. “Legend really was awesome out there, wasn’t he?”

“Yes. Taking on two guardians on his own is quite a feat. I was half-expecting him to hold that over our heads.” Warriors said. He did not sound fond- because he is  _ not  _ fond of that sewer rat of a Veteran- when he added, “I suppose I underestimated his humility. He didn’t even ask for a ‘thank you’.”

Wild hummed in response, then grinned, “Well, he’s getting one anyway.” 

He once again leaned over his pot, and the two descended into comfortable silence. The Captain’s eyes began to feel heavy. He tried to focus on the sizzling sound, of the brightness of the fire, and when that failed, he began tapping his foot to stay active. Goddess, he was exhausted.   
  
Then Wild spoke again. 

“Warriors, I'm… sorry about putting you guys through this,” he mumbled, soft enough for his words to be drowned out by the breeze. He cleared his throat and raised his head, this time speaking clearly, “I- what I mean is, I was basically useless to you guys in the aftermath. I had no potions or items to make them with. And if I’d had ancient arrows with me, the fight would have been over-“ he snapped his fingers, in a way that gave Warriors a slight sense of Deja Vu, “-like this.”

This time, he shrugged as he let his voice quiet once again, “The Slate would’ve probably helped us. I shouldn’t have destroyed it, this was such a stupid plan-“

“It’s not stupid, Wild,” the Captain was quick to sooth. “I commend you for your bravery in taking on this trial. Sure, we were slightly unprepared, but we couldn’t have predicted the Guardian attack, and we pulled through in the end.”

Wild frowned, unconvinced, and shifted his hood around his shoulders. Realizing his words were not reaching the Champion, the Captain pulled himself from his sleepy haze and placed a hand on Wild’s shoulder. 

“You were amazing out there,” He said genuinely, “You fought like a true knight of Hyrule.”

The corners of Wild’s mouth tilted slowly into a grateful smile. Warriors felt the rush of victory deep in his veins. 

A moment later, Wild was handing Warriors spoonfuls of sauce to go with the meat skewers, asking for a taste description. He fumbled through his answers, not knowing how to explain to the Champion that the food they give in the army is tasteless moblin flank, and therefore everything he’s been given so far has been the peak of Hylian Cuisine. The sailor would probably be a more formidable taste-tester.

As the silence continued, the small seed of unease that had been weighing on his heart spread. Not too long ago, he’d made a mistake that almost cost his friend his life. Without thinking his words through, Warriors spoke, “Wild, I-”

He stopped. “Nevermind. It’s… rather stupid.”

“You’re not stupid, dumbass,” Wild said, shuffling closer. “What’s wrong?”

Warriors didn’t reply, bringing the heavenly soup to his lips hastily. Wild gave him a flat look, nudging him and insisting, “C’mon, Wars. I dumped my problems on you, you dump yours on me.”

Warriors finished taking out the last pumpkin’s guts, placing them next to the pot for Wild to fill up later. “It’s just… I made a miscalculation that would have caused us a lot.”

“Okay, so we’re on the same boat,” Wild said with a grin and motioned for Warriors to continue. The Captain watched for any signs of discomfort, any mistrust he might have caused the Champion with his confession. To his surprise, he finds none. 

He reminds himself, and his rapidly beating heart, that this is not a meeting at the Castle. He’s not facing his superiors, or writing a report detailing his errors and victories of the last battle. He’s sharing his worries with Wild, with his brother who’s only slightly older than a child. 

“By the time the Veteran showed up, you had already used your last  _ Daruk’s Protection _ ,” Warriors said, thinking it’s the best place to begin his explanation. Wild blinked. 

“How’d you know how many I had?”

Warriors raised an eyebrow at the question. “I keep track of them.”

“From memory?”

“Yes. I keep a mental record of everyone’s supplies.”

Wild didn’t reply, but mouthed the word  _ damn _ to himself. Warriors snorted, and resisted the urge to ruffle the other’s hair like he’d done not much earlier. He did his best to ignore the way Wild’s amazement made an unearned pride bloom in his chest before continuing. 

“But I misremembered. That is to say, I thought you had one more in stuck when you didn’t. So when the Guardian was switching between us, deciding who to shoot, I…” Warriors swallowed, and stilled his breath. This was the hard part. “I considered letting you take the hit. I figured Daruk’s Protection might be enough to minimize the damage-“ Warriors cut himself off as his mind hissed,  _ but you knew he would have still gotten seriously hurt with the strength of that beam.  _ “It was ridiculous that I even  _ thought _ of doing that, even for a second. I sincerely apologize, Wild.”

Although admitting to his horrible judgement made his chest feel just a small bit lighter, Warriors still watched Wild’s reaction with a great tension. The Champion blinked at him owlishly, as if he didn’t know what to even  _ make _ of the apology, and that fact alone almost made Warriors feel silly for even worrying. Still, he waited. 

“Well, I mean…. you weren’t  _ wrong.  _ If I did have Daruk’s Protection, I could’ve taken the hit.” Wild laughed a little, but there’s tension in his shoulders. “But, even if I didn’t, Mipha’s Grace would have-”

“ _ No _ .” 

Wild’s mouth snapped shut. The forest breeze, the crickets and the bees all fell into deafening quiet. Even the Captain felt taken back at his own outburst. 

As Warriors forced down the sudden tension in his shoulders and his breathing to slow, he chose to reflect on how his ‘Captain Voice’, as Wind called it, affected his brothers. The same voice he used to shout orders at cadets. It drove the Veteran mad, working against Warriors instead of in his favor. Meanwhile, Wild and Sky would always stand at attention when he used it, dutiful knights that they are. This time was no exception, even if the order was shouted a little too fast, a little too strangled and fearful of where Wild’s train of thought was headed. 

“ _ No _ , Wild,” Warriors repeated, softer than before. He tried to meet the Champion’s gaze, but his eyes had snapped to the fire, eyes unmoving as the flames danced. He looked like he was holding back the urge to retreat into his hood as he did when scolded. But Warriors  _ wasn’t  _ mad at Wild. 

“That healing power-“ he continued, hoping to the Goddess that Wild would understand, “...You won’t  _ ever  _ have to use it again if I can help it.”

The Captain knew about Mipha’s Grace, they all did. He knew it was a power that only activated when Wild was in mortal danger, not something he can summon up on the spot. The idea of Wild getting hurt to that point, because of a mistake  _ Warriors  _ made-

It’s too frightening. The thought of Wild or  _ any  _ of his brothers, the sailor, the veteran, the Old Man… hurt to that point...

Wild turned, finally. And after a moment of hesitation, smiled. “I know. You’re… right. I shouldn’t have said it like that, I-“

He paused to bite his lip before shaking his head to himself. He moved a little too suddenly, causing the Captain to flinch slightly as he put a hand on his shoulders

“What I was trying to say is that it doesn’t matter in the end,” Wild said with a smile. “You  _ didn’t  _ hurt me. And you’re… way too smart to be worrying about what-ifs.”

Warriors opened his mouth to voice his gratitude, but was interrupted with a meat skewer being forcefully shoved into his mouth. 

“Now shut up and help me carry these to the others.”

The two of them packed up, and headed back inside. 

They ate quickly before heading to bed. The only ones who seemed awake enough for small talk were Hyrule and Wild, who excitedly chattered on and on about this bug or that one. No one was placed in watch that night, trusting that the wooden walls would keep them safely hidden. They each huddled into their little spots as the crickets sang their lullabies. Warriors's arms fell asleep before the rest of him, both of them taken up by a sleeping Link who’d decided the Captain’s chest was a perfect pillow. The calm was strange for their group, yet welcome. As they drifted off, despite the trials awaiting, they knew they’d be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for making it to the end! Writing lately for me has been. rough. but I didn't want to procrastinate writing this any longer. It feels rushed to me still, so I may come back and edit it later. Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for making it to the end!!


End file.
